


How to Save a Life (conclusion)

by mhunter10



Series: fic!february (28 day challenge) [19]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Fic!February, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 08:49:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1220041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mhunter10/pseuds/mhunter10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>conclusion</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Save a Life (conclusion)

"Are you okay? Do you want some more juice?" Ian got up and went to the movable tray at the foot of Mickey's bed, and opened the little plastic cup of apple juice.

"Gallagher, I'm fine," Mickey protested, but he took it from him anyway and took a few sips. He grunted as he tried to get comfortable in the hospital bed, and hissed when the I.V. in his hand pulled. "Fuck."

"Here, lemme--"

"Don't! I got it!" Mickey barked, huffing when he was finally situated. He looked at Ian's face and sighed, feeling guilty.

Ian sat back down in the chair next to Mickey's bed. "Mandy should be back with food soon," he said quietly, looking down in his lap.

Mickey wanted to jerk his hand and send pain shooting up his arm as punishment for what an asshole he was being to the person who literally saved his life, according to the doctors. Ian looked up at him sheepishly now, waiting to be scolded for how he was acting.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said, looking away for a minute and back, "...I'm being a jerk, when I should be thanking you for saving my fucking ass.

Ian looked surprised, then shrugged. "No big deal," he said, but it was a huge deal. He'd never experienced something like what just happened in his life, and he sure as shit didn't want it to ever happen again. Even though it was hours later, he was still in shock. He could see everything clearly, not to mention all the nurses and doctors kept asking him to repeat it, praising him for his bravery and skill. He felt slightly embarrassed, and he knew it couldn't have been easy for Mickey to keep hearing about what would have happened if he'd been found just two minutes later.

The truth was, Ian had never been so scared to lose someone who wasn't his family. It scared him to think about how deep a connection there had to be for him to go into automatic Superman mode.

"It is, though. A huge fucking deal, man. I almost--" Mickey cut himself off, still sensitive about it. He shook his head and took a breath to calm himself. He lowered his voice, "I was...I'm..scared. It was scary" he admitted, turning slightly red. His hand itched from the tape holding his pain relief to him. The way he collapsed had given him some bruising and soreness, but nothing had been broken. He didn't have a concussion or a spinal injury or anything else of any nature.

"But I'm alive, and...and it's because of you, Ian."

They locked eyes and held each others gaze for a moment, the reality of what happened whirling around them but unable to penetrate the space between them.

"I was so worried about you, Mick," Ian said, finally allowing the concern to show on his face, "...you don't even know."

"I know.." Mickey whispered.

Ian needed to know something. He got up and stood next to the bed, looking down at Mickey. His eyes scanned his face. The doctors had said it was a freak event, only speculating that it could have been residual affects from the asthma he had as a kid. He hadn't known that, and it made him think if he ever really saw the boy actively playing when they were on the team together.

He'd been told Mickey had passed out on the way to the hospital.

But he needed to know something.

"Do you remember waking up before they took you away?" he asked suddenly.

Mickey knew Ian would ask this. He'd been thinking about it since he'd woken up to find his sister and the redhead by his bedside, smiling relieved and happy. He'd been groggy, but the first thing he did was smile at seeing Ian's face again.

He looked Ian in the eyes and nodded slowly.

He would never forget seeing Ian standing by looking like he would have taken a bullet, like he cared so much what happened to him, and how much he wanted to reach out to him and tell him he was okay. He tried to call to him. He needed him in that moment, in all the chaos and confusion, he wanted Ian there with him. But they'd closed the doors and were already driving away when he tried to reach his hand out from where it was strapped down.

He held his hand out and took Ian's in his gently, looking down at the natural way their fingers curved around each others.

Ian looked at their hands and couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"Thank you," Mickey said, and squeezed his hand.

Ian nodded, feeling glad that Mickey was there to hold his hand for the first time.


End file.
